More questions than answers for Bulls

The Bulls have to be giving thanks this 1-3 Western Conference swing is over.

The way they have played lately, like turkeys, they are lucky someone doesn't want to put them out of their misery and stuff them.

"We look like a different team," said a stunned Andres Nocioni after a second consecutive blowout loss, 112-91 to the Denver Nuggets. "I don't know why. We need to play defense. I understand sometimes you struggle with your shot, but I do not understand not playing defense. We need to react fast. The Eastern Conference is different, more competitive teams. We need to react now. This is no time to play like this."

Yes, it is early, but it's getting late and at 2-8, this seems for now less like another poor start than a team questioning itself.

"We've got some mental things going on," Bulls coach Scott Skiles acknowledged. "Pro players generally aren't going to admit that. You can't watch us play and not know that. The silly turnovers we make…are not really turnovers you make at a pro level. Lately we've had an issue where a couple of things don't go our way and we just stop competing. We've got a lot of things to address."

Like mailing it in once again.

Not all game, but playing once again like they did in losing big to the Lakers Sunday, it seeming only a matter of time before the game would be lost.

"I didn't expect this to be an easy game," said Nuggets coach George Karl. "I thought Chicago was mentally tired."--take this out of too long

The end came more quickly Tuesday as the Bulls were behind by 10 five minutes into the game with Luol Deng, hopeful of playing Saturday, still inactive with a back injury. The Bulls trailed 36-25 after one quarter, cut the deficit to four only to see—and they were mostly watching—the Nuggets score 13 straight points.

The Bulls made some brief fluuries after trailing 72-53 at halftime, like getting within 13 two minutes into the second half. But it almost was like the Nuggets, led by Carmelo Anthony with 26, Allen Iverson with 22 and Marcus Camby with 12 points, 20 rebounds and five blocks, were playing with the Bulls as much as against them. Anytime the Bulls would hit a few shots, Denver would blow ahead. The 8-3 Nuggets finally put the Bulls out of their misery with a three and a fast break layup to go ahead by 30 as the fourth quarter opened.

"This losing is really crazy," said rookie Joakim Noah. "It's rough, really rough. I don't think I'm in position to be talking about it."

Noah was asked because he was the Bulls high scorer with 16 points, which included his first pro field goal after a zero for eight start. Undrafted free agent pickup Thomas Gardner equaled Kirk Hinrich with 14, further discouraging news as the starters, with Ben Gordon shooting two of 14, were again overwhelmed.

"I don't know what it is," said an unusually subdued Gordon afterward. "There's no continuity out there. It's not just me. Everyone. Collectively we have to figure it out and address it."

No, the doctor is not in. The Bulls are Charlie Brown with the football pulled away from them again.

Good grief!

It was a parade to the free throw line for the Nuggets, quicker and more excited. By halftime, they had a 28-5 margin on free throws. The Bulls trailed by 19 then despite the same number of successful field goals. By game's end, Denver had converted one more. Skiles and Nocioni drew technical fouls to no avail. To the aggressor goes the calls.

"We were a step slow and they took advantage of us," said Skiles. "They put it on the floor, went by us and created all sorts of problems and we weren't able to do the same things to them. They took it to us in all spots on the floor."